Hello all. I recently joined WS and this is my very first posting. I was led to WS by another veteran member, looking into an unrelated case. When I saw & read the Bill Comeans story I felt a special draw to this case and to help on the very impressive present team of sleuthers. I also have abundant admiration for Bill (who couldn't!) and the pain his family has endured, tho I live far from Columbus, OH and have never met them. My heart goes out to each member of his family.
I've spent the better part of the past 3 days reviewing all the posts/info, to date. I'm very impressed with the sleuthers and agree with a vast majority of your analysis, insights, and direction. I may have missed some info along the 270 posts, tho I tried not to.
GBMG,, I agree on pursuing GT & RSC as POI's. There are too many significant "links" to discard. I'm not saying it should be sole focus, but simply one direction of investigation.
Onto my insights & analysis from the info thus far...
Note this is "my take" (ie. opinion, of which most is derived from past experience). I am awaiting response from mods to see if I even require profile verification. BTW, I am not related or connected to this case in any form, and other than vaguely remembering hearing about Bill's death on media many years ago, I had known nothing of the details.
1. This case is very solvable. Even given the
very limited info from family & news reports, I'm quite appalled at what I consider serious mishandling & misjudgements by LE right from the onset. For me, it was almost to the point where I thought "this would only make sense if LE was purposely trying to cover up for someone they knew, related or influential." In any case, some of the mishandling sickened me, and I believe LE has not changed their mindset on this case still today.
2. I fully believe Bill knew his attackers/killers. I have virtually zero doubt on this. I believe the polygraph results showing "deceptive" were not due to him lying about being attacked, but were merely a result of him not opening up and divulging the true identity of his "later to be" murderers.
It is still a mystery as to
what it was that allowed the attackers such overwhelming control and power over Bill for him not to divulge their names, or any info as to why they were after him.
3. I do not believe there was ever any car or motor vehicle involved, at all.
Here are the reasons I say this:
- I believe the aqua/green car was part of Bill's steadfast attempt to not reveal who were the true attackers. It does not go "in sync" with his claim to have seen the vehicle, yet not the occupants who exited/entered it during attack #2.
- Tho I'm not privy to how the polygraph examiner questioned Bill, being as the results reportedly showed "deception", it is quite possible this was one of the main questions, leading to a deceptive answer. As a kid, when I wanted to give false info to mislead police or parents about a vehicle, I would also pick a weird/random color.
- My main reason... the very close proximity of all 3 attacks, and especially the last one ending Bill's life, the use of a car runs completely opposite of my views and experience that IF they had gotten Bill into any car, they surely would not have only driven only a block or two away to kill him, and take high risk in parking the car at the RR track/Park St death scene location. That location appears to be within short eyesight of at least 2 residences and it appears to me even a parked vehicle would really "stand out". The perpetrators would make full benefit of any vehicle by restraining Bill, then drive to a far more secluded and much "safer" place to attack or kill him. In a close packed neighborhood, coupled with being "satisfied" to leave the crime scene nearly within eyesight of the abduction, a vehicle is a hindrance for going unnoticed, rather than an asset (especially a aqua car). It is also far less noticeable for the perps to be just "walking the edge of the street", especially at dinnertime or dusk/dark.
- I believe too many pieces point to at least one of the attackers/murderers living or staying within direct eyesight of the Comeans residence. I am not ruling out at least one of them staying, or knowing/visiting someone fairly frequently that might live on the opposite (west) side of Maple Dr. In the 3rd fatal attack, it appeared more than just a "lucky chance" that they would catch Bill in the brief moments he was out in front of his house.
4. What really jumps out at me is... and this is very heavy food for thought...
Since it is obvious the perps wanted to kill Bill from the onset, and not merely hurt him, and they seemed to grow more desperate/determined even after the 2 failed attempts at killing him, WHY did they still stick with strangulation as the method?? Surely a baseball bat, steel pipe, multiple stabbing, etc would have instantly & easily accomplished their "ultimate goal". Yet they chose to repeat a "failed" method, twice.
On all 3 attacks, it is crystal clear that the perps fully intended to kill Bill. I believe they "thought" they did sufficient strangulation on the 1st attack, that there would be no way Bill could have survived. Bill was meant to be dead on that 1st attack. Far too serious of an effort to be considered anything close to "bullying" tactics.
5. I believe at least one of the perps was a true psychopath, and possessed a "fixation" on wanting to physically feel the death with his own two hands. The murder/death had to be felt by every sensory nerve in the killer in order to (I very sadly say) fully "quench his thirst" in any satisfying way in his warped mind. A knife or steel pipe would not be anything that would accomplish that feeling. It had to be much more "personal".
The length of time it takes to physically strangle a person to the point of death is much much longer than a perpetrator would expect. It also requires greater strength than expected. The use of ligature "tools", such as a rope or scarf may reduce the effort/strength needed, but it would not reduce the time needed.
Perhaps I'm going above & beyond here, (and I regret having the family seeing all these ugly blunt realities) but I surmise that the attacker(s) did realize perhaps too much of this thrill a bit prematurely in the strangulation, therefore although they "thought" Bill had expired, they rejoiced and let loose a bit too soon to ensure certain death. It is possible, due to the very "public" location of attack #2, some traffic or passerby might have scared them off prematurely.
I strongly suspect at least one of the attackers has a history of extreme abuse of any animals/pets, including gruesome methods to their deaths.
6. The subject of "never a sign of any struggle by Bill".
First, I would respectfully disagree with the hypothesis that this would surely indicate he was attacked from behind or surprised. I would agree with this hypothesis IF Bill had been attacked and instantly disabled with a knife, bat, pipe, or blunt object from behind. But not on any strangulation case.
IMO and experience, there would have been instant opportunity and ability for Bill to have given much resistance, even to two perps, the moment any contact was made. Certainly he would be most likely up against a loosing and very short battle, but a significant amount of resistance/fight over brief moments are almost always the rule, rather than the exception, in these cases. Nonetheless, this is very baffling.
7. (Pertains to #6) The diazepam (valium) discovered in Bill's "autopsy".
The reason I quoted "autopsy" is that I am not sure, by info thus far, if Bill had a complete autopsy or if the coroner performed a
partial autopsy (actually a medical exam) of just the main areas of injury? Also, it appears clear this exam/autopsy was not performed swiftly after Bill's death.
In a Jan 17, 1980 news article, Det. Rich stated "Final determination of the case is pending until an autopsy is
issued, probably in two weeks".
This news report comes 10 days after BC's death, yet what does the Detective mean by "issue" an autopsy? He has yet to order it be done? Did I read correct that it not until months later that the autopsy results were completed/released? If so, why this huge delay?
(It seems as tho LE was influencing the coroner's actions/results from the onset, the opposite of the order it should be).
Important questions for family (respectfully, when time permits):
1. When was the autopsy actually performed, and to what extent? What was the level of valium in his blood? Could they determine its level at time of death?
2. The precise location of Bill after his fatal attack? I have your hand-marked map showing #3 (where Bill was found), but not precise enough. Where in relation to the outside apex of the curve, at Park St & Buena Vista Ave, was he located? Was it east of the east edge line of Buena Vista, or a bit west of that, more in the open?
3. So far, I've only heard Bill went 2 doors down to get you from the birthday party, that fateful night. Was it 2 houses down north or south of your home (important in some respects)?
To all: I apologize for the long length, and most likely not the best in formatting. Please feel free to give me any constructive criticism or pointers. There is so many more questions and info to be communicated on this very unusual case, as time permits.
